Ironing machine



E. c. PETER Er AL momma MACHINE Filed March 28, 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHHH\H 1 1 I! m vwwl lzE d. %M W \m AM 'Aug. 8, 1933. E. 0. PETER Er AL 1,921,301

' IRONING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 8, 1933.

EC. PETER ET AL IRONING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 28, 1931 Aug. 8, 1933-, E 3 PETER E AL 1,921,301

IRONING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet Aug. 8, 1933- E. c. PETER El AL IRONING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Aug .3, 1933- 1,921,so1 IRONING momma Edward 0. Peter, Algonquin, and John A. Castricone, Elgin, 111.; said Peter assignor to The American Ironing Machine Company, Algonquin, 111., a Corporation of Illinois Application March 28, 1931. Serial No. 525,996

4 Claims. (Cl. 68-9) This invention relates to that class of ironing machines having a rotary ironing roll and an ironing shoe mounted in movable relation to each other and having means for eflecting and 5 -controlling the operations of the ironing roll and shoe relatively to each other.

,The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved power-driven ironing machine havinga rotative ironing roll. and an ironing shoe mounted in movable relation to each other, with improved simpleand efiicient means for automatically controlling the rotation of the ironing roll and for controlling the operations of the ironing shoe or bodily movable member in coordinated relation to each other. v

A further object of the invention is to provide ironing roll and ironing shoe operating and controlling means comprising a rotative eccentric mounted on or adapted to revolve around the g0 axle of the\i roning roll and-operatively connected with the ironing shoe for moving the same toward and from the ironing roll, and means for automatically controlling the operation of said eccentric or sho'e operating means and ironing shoe relatively to the rotation of the ironing roll and the stopping and starting of the same, said controlling means including manually operable escapement mechanism'or pawl and ratchet and tripping mechanism for connecting the ironing roll and ironing shoe with a source of power or power-driven shaft and gear mechanism and means for releasing said connection. A further object of the invention is to provide .an ironing machine having a rotative ironing roll and an ironing shoe mounted in movable relation to each other, and improved means for operatively connecting said ironing roll and ironing shoe with a source of power for operating the same including simple and efiicient means for stopping and starting the rotative movement of the ironing roll and the movements of the ironing shoe toward and from the ironing roll in predetermined coordinated relation and in such a manner that the ironing roll is connected with the driving mechanism and released from the'same while the pressure of the ironing shoe toward'the ironing roll is released so as to facilitate the operation of the connecting and releasing means. 'A further object of the invention is to provide an improved ironing machine having a rotative ironing roll and an ironing shoe mounted in movable relation to each other and having driving gear mechanism adapted to be connected with a source of power for operating said roll and shoe, with improved simple and efficient means for rotating and stopping the ironing roll,

to the operations of the ironing roll to efiect the operation of the ironing shoe toward and from the ironing roll in coordinated relation to the stopping andstarting of the roll, including means for automatically releasing the ironing shoe from the driving mechanism without stop- 5 ping the rotation of the roll, and means for releasing the ironing roll from the driving mechanism either manually or automatically.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear from the following description and claims 7 and from an inspection of the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof.

The invention consists of the features, com-' binations, details of construction and arrangement and mode of operation of the parts as herein described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings' Figure 1 is a view in end elevation of an improved mechanism for operating the ironing roll and shoe of an ironing machine constructed so in accordance with our invention with the front wall or end plate of the machine frame or head 'which forms the gear casing removed;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1, with the top of the casing or houss5 ing and part of the ironing roll and the ironing shoe broken away or omitted;

Fig. 3 is a view in transverse vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and showing the escapement or pawl and ratchet and tripping mechanism for controlling or stopping and starting 'the rotation of the ironing roll and the movements of the ironing shoe toward and from the ironing roll; '95

Fig. 4 is a view in vertical sectional elevation taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and showing the power-actuated main driving shaft and worm and" worm-wheel mechanism for driving the ironing roll, and the clutch and connecting and releasing mechanism for connecting the ironing roll with the driving mechanism, and showing wthe rocking-shaft and lever mechanism for supporting and operating the ironing shoe with parts. omitted for clearness of illustration;

Fig. ,5 is a view in longitudinal central sectional elevation taken through the longitudinal center of the ironing roll and roll-operating mechanism, and through the center of the ironing shoe supporting and operating rocking shaft, on irregular line 5-5 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 6 is a view in rear elevation of the ironing machine shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, with parts of the pedestal and base or supporting frame omitted; and

Fig. 7 is a detail View of the escapement or pawl and ratchet mechanism shown in Figs. 3 and 4, as the same would appear when seen from the rear.

In constructing an improved ironing machine in accordance with our invention, a machine frame 1 is provided which comprises a head or housing 2 which is adapted to be supported upon a supporting table 3, or upon a pedestal or supporting base 4. supported-upon a table or other suitable support, or a pedestal adapted to support the main frame or housing 2 and the working parts of the machine independently of a table or similar support may be employed. Such bases and pedestals are in common use and well-known and it is therefore deemed unnecessary to further describe or illustrate the same in detail herein.

The head or housing 2 is provided with a main bearing 5 which projects horizontally from the inner end wall 6 of the housing 2 and is adapted to form a strong and substantial supporting bearing for a. rotative ironing roll and its supporting axle. A preferably hollow ironing roll 7 is provided having an end head 8 at the inner end thereof adjacent to the bearing 5 and main frame or housing 2, and having a similar end head 9 fixed within the outer extremity of the hollow cylindrical wall of said roll. A stationary hollow shaft or tubular ironing roll-supporting member 10 is by preference rigidly supported in the bearing 5 and extends longitudinally within the cylindrical hollow ironing roll '7 and through the end heads 8 and 9 which are provided with flanged axial openings 11 and 12 through said heads. Annular bushings or bearing sleeves 8' and 9 are mounted in said openings 11 and 12 in the ironing roll head and encircle the said stationary hollow shaft or tube 10 and are adapted to rotate around the same. The said stationary hollow shaft or tube is thus adapted to rotatively support said ironing roll which is journaled thereon. The inner end 13 of the hollow shaft or tube 10 extends inward through the projecting bearing '5 and into the gear chamber 14 formed by said head or housing 2.

An inner rotative axle-shaft or central axial member 15 is mounted centrally within said stationary hollow shaft or tubular ironing roll supporting member 10 and has its outer end 16 fixed to the outer end head 9 of the hollow ironing roll 7 by suitable connecting means which may be of any ordinary and well-known or suitable form.

For example, an inner end bushing 17 having a central axial opening 18 therethrough is mounted upon said outer end 16 of the inner' rotative axle shaft 15 and secured in rigid relation to said axle shaft and to the end head 9 of the ironing roll. by means of a transverse tapered securing-pin 19 which extends through aligned transverse openings in said inner bushing 17 and inner axle-shaft 15. The bushing fits into and in rotative relation to the openend of the stationary tubular axle member 10, which is surroiflided by the bearing sleeves or rings 8' and 9' as already described. A transverse securing bar Either a base adapted to be 21 is secured in fixed relation to the outer end of the inner axle shaft 15 by means of a headed securing screw 22. And said securing bar 21 extends through a transverse opening 23 in a perforated or slotted projecting lug 24 on said inner bushing 17, the projecting end of said securing bar 21 being releasably secured in fixed relation to the end head 9 of the ironing roll by means of an inwardly projecting securing-pin 25 on said bar, said pin being adapted to extend into a suitable opening 26 in the said ironing roll head 9. The outer ends of the ironing roll 7 and inner axle-shaft 15 are thus rigidly connected and said rotative inner axle-shaft 15 is adapted to rotate with the ironing roll and to serve as a means for rotating and controlling the operations of said roll. The inner end 30 of said inner rotative axle shaft 15 projects beyond the inner end of the stationary hollow tube or shaft 15 and into the gear chamber 14 formed by the housing 2.

An inner resilient packing ring or sleeve 2'7 surrounds the outer end of the axle rod 15 Within the stationary tubular roll-supporting member 10 preventing the escaping of oil. The inner extremity of the inner axle-shaft 15 projects endwise beyond the inner extremity of said tubular ironing roll supporting member 10 and into or through the gear chamber 14 and is journaled in an upright inner supporting frame member or bracket 28 which is located in said gear casing and provided with an annular metallic bearing ring or bushing 29 adapted to encircle and rotatively support said projecting extremity of said axle-shaft in operative position and in position to be operatively connected with suitable mechanism for driving and controlling the rotation and operation of said ironing roll and its rotative axle-shaft or spindle 15.

An electrically heated ironing shoe 31, which may be of any ordinary and well-known or suitable form, having a concave ironing surface facing toward the peripheral surface of the ironing roll 7, is reciprocally mounted adjacent to and back of said ironing roll and movable toward and from the same for effecting the ironing of material to be operated upon as such material is fed between the upper and peripheral surface of the ironing roll and the inner concave face of said ironing shoe by the operator in the usual manner. Suitable rocking shoe-supporting and operating shaft and lever mechanism is provided which comprises rock shaft and lever mechanism for reciprocating or moving said ironing shoe toward and from the said roll in coordinated relation to the operation of the same, and means for controlling and actuating the rotative ironing roll and the operation of said ironing shoe in predetermined coordinated relation, as follows.

A hollow horizontal rock-shaft 32 is rockingly mounted within and extends longitudinally from end to end of a stationary horizontal tubular shoe-supporting arm or hollow shaft 33 which is rigidly mounted in a horizontal tubular supporting frame portion 34 which extends into the lower portion of the gear chamber 14 formed by the head or housing 2 already described, as shown in Fig. 5. Said tubular frame portion 34 is by preference cast in one integral piece with the housing 2 which forms the gear casing, and is provided with an upwardly projecting inner frame portion 35 to which the inner frame or bracket member 28, already described, is rig- 150 idly secured by means of securing screws 36 extremity of said hollow rock-shaft 32 projects endwise through the adjacent outer open end of said stationary tubular shoe-supporting member 33; and a rocking lever 37 is fixed to said outer projecting end portion of said rock-shaft and extends upwardly therefrom directly back of the longitudinal center of the ironing-shoe 31. The upper end of said rocking lever 37 is flexibly connected with said ironing shoe by suitable connecting means which may be of any ordinary well-known or suitable form. -For example, a bracket 38 fixed to the back of the ironing shoe, and a horizontal connecting pinv 39 extends through a suitable opening in the upper end of said rocking lever 37 and through suitable openings in the side arm portions 40 of said bracket 38 inwhich the opposite ends of said pin are anchored. In the form of the device shown in-the drawings a helical spring 41 encircles said connecting pin and is provided with a projecting portion 42 which engages the bracket.38, the opposite end 43 being in abutting engagement with the lever 37. The ironing shoe 31 is thus flexibly connected with and supported upon the upper end of the rocking lever 37 and adapted to/be moved into and'out of yielding engagement with the ironing-roll as the rock-shaft 32 and lever 37 are rocked or reciprocated in the operation of the ironing shoe. An. inner end bushing 44 having a threaded central axial opening 45 and a transverse opening 46 therethroughis mounted within the outer end of the hollow rock-shaft 32; and a transverse securing pin 47 is inserted through said transverse opening 46 and through corresponding adjacent openings in the enlarged lower end or head of the rocking lever 37 which surrounds and is thus secured in rigid relation to said hollow rock-shaft. The inner collars or gaskets 49 and 50 are interposed between the hollow rock-shaft 32 and the rigid stationary outer tubular member 33 and tubular frame portion 34 repectively, in which the rock-shaft is rockingly mounted. See Fig. 5). The rock-shaft 32 is provided at its opposite or inner en 51 which projects beyond the tubular frame I ortion 34 within the gear chamber 14 as already described, with a pair of shoeactuating rocking levers 52 and 53, one of which .iS fixed to said hollow rock-shaft 32 and the other of which levers is flexibly connected with said rock-shaft and with said ,flxed lever.

For example, the relatively short fixed lever 52 which by preference comprises in its construction a-pair of flat parallel or forked side portions 54 having elongated perforations 55 in their lower extremities through which the projecting end of the rock-shaft extends, is se-' cured in fixed relation to said rock-shaft by means of a sleeve-shaped hub or sleeve 56 which encircles said rock-shaft and is rigidly secured thereto by means of a transverse tapered securing pin 5'7 as best shown in Fig; 5. The said hub 56 is provided with circumferential end shoulders 58 and 59, the outer shoulder portion 59 being flattened and adapted to engage the flat margins of the-elongated openings 55 in saidfixed lever 52 so as to securely hold the same in rigid fixed relation to the said hub or sleeve and to the rock-shaft 32. The. upper swinging ends of the parallel side lever arm portions 54 are spaced apart and adapted to straddle the said relatively longer yielding lever 53 which is mounted between the said spaced lever arms 54.

The said relatively longer lever arm '53 is formed by preference of a pair of flat stamped metal plates or side flanges 60 which are rigidly secured in fixed parallel relation to each other and spaced apart by means of a sleeve or collar 61 which is interposed'between the upper ends of said side flanges, and a transverse pin 62 which extends through said sleeve and through suitable aligned openings in the said side plate flanges 60. The pin 62 is held in place by a cotter-pin 64. The said lever 53 is provided at its lower end with circular openings 65 adapted to encircle the corresponding circular peripheral end portions or shoulders 58 of the said hub or sleeve 56 so as to-permit a limited movement of said lever 53 circumferentially of the hub 56 and through said rock-shaft 32 and relatively to the spaced or forked side arm portions 54 of said relatively short lever 52 which is fixed to said rockshaft. (See Figs. 1, 4 and 5).

A spring-supporting connecting link 66 is attached to and forms a yielding connection between the levers 52 and 53 and comprise a pair of-spaced parallel side arms or flanges which are connected at one end of said link by an integral transverse centrally perforated web portion 67. The opposite separate ends of the U-shaped link thus formed are perforated and pivotally connected with the adjacent upper separated ends of the said short lever, 52 by means of short headed pivot pins or trunnions 68. A helical compression spring 69 is mounted in the link 66 between the side wall portions thereof, one end of said spring being in abutting engagement with the transverse perforated Web 6'7 of said link, and the opposite end of said spring being in abutting engagement with an upright perforated transverse web or flange portion 70 on the front side of the yielding flexibly connected lever 53. (See Figs. 1 and 4). The upright web or flange portion 70 of said lever 53 isformed by preference by bending opposite short integral flanges or web portions of the side plates 60 of the said relatively long yielding lever together and providing a perforation 7l through the web or fiange,thus formed. (See Fig. 4).

A headed bolt 72 is mounted in the perforated end web 67 of the said spring-supporting connecting link 66 and extends longitudinally'centrally of said link and through the spring 69 and loosely through the pin '71 in the upright web or flange portion 70 of the lever 53. The forward threaded end of the bolt which extends through the perforated web 67 is secured in fixed relation to said web and to the link 66 by means of a milledsleeve nut in threaded engagement with the bolt on the inside of said web and an outer nut 74 which is in threaded engagement with the bolt on the outer side of said transverse end web or flange. The opposite or headed end of said bolt is slidably mounted in the perforation71' in the upright web or wall portion 70 of the lever 53. It'will be readily understood that when said relatively long yielding lever 53 is pressed forward it will tend to compress the spring. 69 which is, of course, at a suitable tension, and that as the forward movement of the lever 53 is continued in the .operation of moving the ironing shoe toward the ironing roll the relatively short lever 52 will be rocked forward tomoved forward into yielding operative engagement with the ironing roll and into ironing engagement with the material to be operated upon as the material is fed over the ironing roll '7- and between said roll and ironing shoe.

The ironing shoe supporting and operating rocking shaft and lever mechanism, including the interconnected levers and the connecting link and spring mechanism above described, is thus adapted to be operated by power-driven means and serves to move the ironing shoe forward and to hold it in ironing position in yielding engagement with the material to be operated upon so as to permit material of unequal and irregular thickness to be ironed in an efiicient manner and to be subjected to the desired pressure in the ironing operationl To regulate or change and control the pressure of the ironing shoe toward and against the ironing roll it is only necessary to increase the tension of the spring 69 above described by adjusting the nuts 73 and 74 m the required positions upon the bolt '72 which is thus adapted to hold the spring normally at any desired tension to which it may be adjusted.

Suitable power-drive means for operating the iorning roll and ironing shoe is provided and by preference constructed and connected with a source of power and adapted to operate substantially as follows:

A main driving shaft or worm shaft '75 is journaled in suitable bearings in the machine frame or housing and connected with a powerdriven shaft '76, which in this instance is the motor shaft of an electric motor '77 or other suitable power-driven shaft orsource or power which may be of any ordinary and well-known or suitable form. The said main driving shaft or worm shaft '75 is connected with the motor shaft '76 by preference, by means of a flexible or universal coupling '78 (Fig. 3), which comprises a pair of shouldered collars '79, one of which is fixed to the shaft '75 and the other of which is fixed to the motor shaft '76. And an intermediate shouldered collar or disk 80 is interposed between and in shouldered flexible engagement with said shouldered collar '79 thus forming a flexible connection between the shafts and '76.

A worm 81 is fixed to the main driving shaft or worm shaft '75; and a worm wheel 82 is rotatively mounted upon a suitable support and in toothed operative engagement with said worm. For example: The worm 'wheel 82 is mounted upon and in fixed relation to a hollow shaft or tubular inner hub member 83, one end of which is provided with a toothed clutch member 84 having end clutch shoulders or teeth 85 The inner tubular hub member 83 is encircled by an outer hub member 119 fixed to said worm wheel 82and a toothed ratchet wheel or ratchet clutch member 86 having peripheral ratchet teeth 8'7 thereon is fixed to and adapted to rotate with said worm wheel 82 and withsaid rigidly connected rotative hub members 82 and 119 and with said clutch mem- .ber 84 on said worm wheel hub.

The worm wheel 82'with its inner supporting hollow shaft or hubmember 83 and said outer hub member 119 are rotatively mounted in an inner supporting fraine or bracket 88 which is I rigidly mounted within the gear chamber 14 of the head or housing 2 already described. Said inner frame or bracket is by preferencefiremovably secured in rigid position within said housing and gear chamber by headed securing screws 89 and 90 anchored in inwardly projecting bosses 91 and 92 on the frame or housing 2. The removable supporting frame or bracket 88 is provided with suitable bearings 93 and 94 in which said worm wheel supporting hollow shaft or inner hub member 83 and a horizontal longitudinally movable shifting clutch-actuating rod or shaft 95 are journaled. The tubular inner hub member or hollow shaft 83 is journaled in the bearing 93, and said longitudinally shiftable clutch actuating rod or shaft 95'is journaled in said bearing 94 and extends through both of said bearings 93 and 94 and through said tubular inner hub member 83 and clutch member 84 on said worm wheel 82, as best shown in Fig. 4; and a spur pinion 96 is mounted on and fixed to a projecting" end of said clutch-actuating rod or shaft 95 and provided with end clutch shoulders or teeth 9'7 located adjacent to and movable into and out of clutching engagement with. the clutch shoulders or teeth 85 on said clutch member 84 which is fixed to the worm wheel 82 and to said worm wheel hub 84 and worm wheel supporting hollow shaft 83 as already described. (See Fig. 4.) An end nut or collar 98 on the end of the shifting clutch-actuating rod 95 is adapted to serve as a lock-nut for securely holding the plnion 96 in fixed relation to the said clutch-actuating rod; and a key or spline 98 connects the pinion and movable clutch member 96 with and in adjustable relation to said shaft 95. A helical compression spring 99 which is mounted on the outside of and encircles the bearing 94 is operatively connected with and adapted to shift the longitudinally movable clutch-actuating rod or shaft 95 and the said combined clutch and spur gear member 96 in one direction into clutching engagement with the clutch member 84 on said inner hub member or hollow shaft 83 fixed to said worm wheel 82. An end collar 100 which is fixed to the end of said shiftable clutch-actuating rod or shaft 95 engages the abutting outer end of said spring 99, and the inner end of the spring abuts against and encircles the said bearing 94 on the said inner frame 88.

A clutch-actuating rocking lever or yoke 101 (Figs. 1 and 4) is rockingly mounted upon a stationary fulcrum and supporting member 102 and provided with forked yoke-arms 103 which are spaced apart and adapted to extend on opposite sides of the projecting end of said clutchactuating rod 95 in operative engagement with the end collar 100 fixed to the end of said clutch-actuating rod and engaged by said clutch-actuating compression spring 99 as a1- ready described. The said lever 101 is held in operative position upon its supporting fulcrum 102 by means of a headed screw 104, the lever being provided with a suitable recess or socket portion adapted toengage the fulcrum and permit the rocking of the lever thereon in the operation of the clutch.

The ironing roll '7 is operatively connected with the driving mechanism comprising said power-driven main driving shaft '75 and worm wheel mechanism above described. A spur-gear wheel 105 is fixed to the inner projecting end of means; and a key 106' is inserted between said Ti axle-shaft and said hub in an elongated slot Y with the longitudinally shiftable clutch-actuatstood that the combined spur pinion and clutch ing shaft or rod 95 .as already suggested. (See Figs. 2 and 4.)

From the foregoing it will be readily undermember 96 is always engaged by the spur wheel 105 on the ironing roll axle, and that the worm wheel 82 is in continuous rotation whenever it is connected with the motor and the motor is in operation. It follows that whenever the clutch mechanism comprising said clutch and pinion-member 96 and the clutch member 84 fixed to the hub of the worm wheel 82 are in clutching engagement the ironing roll will be kept in rotation, and when said connection is released the ironing roll will remain stationary whenever said clutch mechanism is disengaged.

Means is provided for effecting the automatic stopping and starting of the rotation of the ironing roll and the operation of the ironing shoe in coordinated relation to each other in such a manner that the automatic operation of the clutch mechanism, including the combined spur pinion and clutch member 96 will be accomplished while the pressure of the ironing shoe against the ironing roll or material to be operated upon is released, and whereby the initial step in the operation of the ironing roll and ironing shoe is enabled to be accomplished manually, the completion of the operation of starting and stopping the ironing roll and the stopping and starting of the movements of the ironing shoe being completed automatically and in predetermined coordinated' relation and successive order as follows; a

A hollow shaft section 105 which' forms an extension of the stationary hollow shaft or tubular member 10 of the axle of the ironing roll is mounted in position to encircle'the projecting portion of the axle rod 15 and is by preference fixed to said tubular ironing roll supporting member or hollow shaft 10 within the gear chamber 14; and a bearing or bushing 29 is interposed between said axle shaft and said tubular member 105 at the open end of the latter and within the gear chamber and the bearing in which said axle is journaled. A compressible packing ring 107 is also interposed between said axle rod 15 and the tubular member 105 r A spur gear wheel 108 having an elongated tubular hub 109 fixed thereto or forming an integral part thereof is mounted upon and in rotative relation to and encircles the stationary tubular member 105 and the rotative axle-shaft 15 within the gear chamber 14. A clutch actuating cam 110 is fixed to or formed integral-with the body of said spur-gear Wheel 108 in position to slidably engage a cam shoulder 111 on the lever arm 112 of the cam actuating rocking lever or yoke 101 already described. Fixed :tothe opposite end of the said hub 109 of the spur gear wheel 108 and by preference formed integrally with said hub is an ironing-shoeactuating eccentric 113 which encircles and-is rotative with res ct to the stationary tubular member 105 through which the axle-shaft 15 of the ironing roll axle extends as already described. A connecting rod 114 is provided having a circular 'wheel.

eccentric strap 115 on one end thereof and encircling said eccentric 113. The opposite-end of said connecting rod 114 is pivotally connected with the upper free or swinging end of the yielding ironing-shoe actuating lever 53 already described, said connecting rod being provided with a suitable opening therein through which the headed end of the connecting pin 64 on said lever 53 extends. A collar 116 which is integral with the pin 62 is interposed between said connecting rod 114 and the lever 53; and a washer 117 is mounted between the headed end of they connecting pin 62 and said connecting rod 114 to form a bearing for the same. A spur gear wheel or pinion 118 is loosely mounted on and in rotative relation to the longitudinally shifting clutchactuating rod 95 and in toothed engagement with the said spur gear wheel 108 which is in turn loosely mounted on the ironing roll axle and in fixed relation to the shoe-actuating eccentric 113 and hub 109 of said gear wheel 118 as already described.

The connected gear wheels 108 and 118 form a train of gears one of which-namely thegear 118is mounted adjacent to the toothed ratchet wheel 86 on the hub 119 of the power-driven worm wheel 82 already described; and a'pawlsupporting plate 120 is fixed to or formed integrally with said gear wheel 118 and adapted to rotate with said spur gear wheel in a position closely adjacent to said toothed ratchet wheel 86 and by preference between the opposed faces of said spur gear wheel and the toothed ratchet (See Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7).

A pawl 121 is' pivotally mounted upon said pawl-supporting plate 120 by means of a headed pivot pin 122 which extends through the said pawl and plate and through the perforated outer flanged portion 123 of said plate as 'best shown in Fig. 3. Said pawl is provided with a pawl tooth 124 thereon which is movable into and out of toothed engagement with the ratchet teeth or shoulders 125 on said toothed ratchet wheel 87; and a pawl-operating lever 126 is interposed between said flange 123 on-the plate 120 and said pawl 121 and provided with a laterally extending side flange 127 which overlaps the bottom margin of the pawl 121. 126 and pawl 121 are thus both pivotally supported upon the same axis formed by the pivot pin 122 anchored to the plate 120 which is fixed to the spur gear wheel 118. A helical spring 128 is secured at one end to the pawl-supporting plate 120 by a headed pin 129, the opposite end of said spring being connected with the pivoted pawl-actuating lever 126 by means of a projecting lug 130 on said lever and provided with a perforation 131 in said lug through which this spring is fastened. The pawl 121 is provided with a projecting end shoulder 132; and the pawl-actuating lever 126- has a smilar projecting end shoulder 133 thereon closely adjacent to and by preference in sliding contact with said projecting shoulder 132. The top margins of both of said shoulders are so disposed that they are in the same plane when the'toothed pawl 121 is in toothed engagement with the ratchet wheel 87 and the hook 138 of the tripping lever 134 is in engagement with both of said shoulders 132 and 133 for releasing the pawl. The bottom flange 127 on the lever 126 is adapted to engage the adjacent bottom edge of said pawl to effect the raising of the pawl into toothedengagement with the ratchet when the lever 126 is raised with the pawl by the spring l28. (See Fig. 3).

Said pawl-operating lever A pawl-actuatingand releasing or tripping finger 134 is pivotally mounted upon a horizontal rocking or reciprocating stub shaft 135 1 out of engagement with the ratchet 8'7 when the said tripping finger is in initial or normal position and the pawl is in its lowered position, as at the end of a complete revolution of the ratchet concurrently with a half revolution of the gear wheel 108 and eccentric 113. The pawl 121 has suflicient play or lost motion relatively to the pawl-actuating lever 126 to permit the pawl to be held out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 87 by force of gravity when the pawl-actuating lever 126 is in lowered or pawl-releasing position. (See Figs. 3 and 7).

Manually operable means is provided for operating the pawl-releasing or tripping finger 134 to effect the releasing of the pawl and its engagement with the ratchet. For this purpose a rock-shaft 139 is provided, one end of which is connected with a horizontal stub shaft 135 by a transverse connecting pin 140 which is anchored in'said stub shaft and extends into transverse slots 141 in the adjacent recessed slotted end of said rock-shaft 139. The outer end of said rock-shaft is journaled in suitable bearextends outward to the outside of said housing and is provided with a hand lever or trigger 142 on the outer end of said shaft and in position to be conveniently manually operated in one direction to release and permit the engagement of the toothed pawl 121 with the toothed ratchet wheel 8'7. A helical spring 143 having one end attached to a supporting frame or, bracket member 144 and having the other end of said spring attached to the hooked end 138 of said pawl-tripping and releasing finger 134 serves to return said tripping finger and said lever 142 to initial normal pawl-releasing position as soon as the manually-operable lever or trigger 142 is released by the operator.

The hooked upper end of the tripping finger 134 is thus normally in position to engage and release the pawl 121 and pawl-actuating lever 126 whenever said pawl and lever and their supporting plate 120 complete a revolution after being released by the operation of the hand lever or trigger 142 by the operator.

The gear wheel 118 with which the pawl 126 rotates is by preference of one-half the pitch diameter of the engaged gear wheel 108 which is fixed to the eccentric 113. It follows, of course that for each one-half revolution of the gear wheel 108 with its cam 110 and eccentric 113--the gear wheel 118, the ratchet 87, and the attached pawl-supporting plate 120 and pawl 121 will make a complete revolution. It should also be noted that for each complete revolution of the gear wheel 118 with its attached pawl-supporting plate 120 and thepawl 121- the ironing shoe actuating eccentric 113 which is fixed to and rotative with the gear wheel 108 and the clutch-releasing cam 110 will both rotate with the ironing roll and its axle for onehalf of a complete revolution only or until the clutch members 96 and 84 are released by the cam 110 operating the lever 103 to shiftthe shaft 95 and clutch member 96 to clutchreleasing position, thereby disconnecting the ironing roll from the power-driven worm wheel 82 or source of power. It will be readily understood that when the gear wheel 108 and the connected eccentric 113 arevrotated to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the ironing revolution to the position shown in broken lines in said Fig. 1 by the manual operation of the hand lever or trigger 142 to effect the releasing of the pawl 121 and permit it to engage the toothed ratchet 87 and thereby cause an operation of the ironing shoe towardthe roll. Every manual operation of the tripping lever or trigger 142 and the tripping finger 134 will initiate an operation of the ironing shoe either toward or from the ironing roll; and the ironing shoe will be held in and out of engagement with said ironing roll alternatelynormally in engagement with the roll when the latter is rotating and out of engagement when the roll is stationary. The automatic releasing of the ironing roll from the power is timed to occur concurrently with the operation of the ironing shoe to its released position away from and out of engagement with the ironing roll and the material to be operated upon.

Each alternate one-half revolution of the gear wheel 108 with the ironing shoe actuating eccentric 113 and clutch-actuating cam 110 causes said cam to engage the cam shoulder 111 on the clutch-actuating yoke lever 103 for shifting the combined pinion and clutch member 96 out of engagement with the clutch member 84 on the worm wheel 82 to effect the releasing of the ironing roll and gear wheel 105 on the ironing roll axle from the source of power concurrently with the operation of releasing the ironing shoe from engagement with the roll and source of power. Since the shoe-actuating eccentric 113 and the clutch-actuating cam 110 are rigidly connected wheel 82 by the pawl and ratchet mechanism or escapement mechanism above described, makes a complete revolution for each one-half revolution of the gear wheel 108, it follows as a matter of .course that the gear wheel 118 with its pawl are automatically released from the worm wheel 82, rachet wheel 87 and source of power upon I the completion of each revolution of the gear wheel 118 and pawl 121. The ironing shoe will be thus released from the power driven worm wheel 82 and source of power and permitted to trigger 142 and the tripping finger 134 so as to release the pawl 126 and cause said pawl to engage and rotate with the ratchet wheel 87 and worm wheel 82, will eifect the starting of the operation of the shoe toward the ironing rollis being applied by the ironing shoe, but the rotation of the ironing roll is automatically stopped concurrently with the return operation of the ironing shoe to initial pressure releasing position out of engagement with the ironing roll.

Simple and eificient means is also providedfor releasing and holding in clutch-releasing position the clutch mechanism for controlling the operation of the ironing roll so that the ironing roll will be disconnected from the source of 7 power and permitted to remain stationary and the ironing shoe may ,be reciprocated 'or moved toward and from the ironing roll by the power-driven shoe operating means, as when clothes are to be pressed between the stationary ironing roll and shoe. For example, a manually operable clutchreleasing lever 143 is mounted upon a rocking shaft 144" which is mounted in a suitable bearing 145 in the machine frame or housing and provided with an eccentric or cam 146 fixed to said shaft and adapted to. be rotated into and out of engagement with the side face of the adjacent end surface 147 of the clutchactuating yoke lever 112 already described. (See Figs. 2, 3 and 5).

The housing 2 is provided with a ventilating opening 148 which opens into the motor casing for admitting air theretofor cooling the motor and for receiving electric wires which are connected with the motor and source of electrical supply and with the heating unit in the ironing shoe. Anoil pump 150 which comprises a'pumpcylinder 151 fixed tothe housing 2 or other suitable supporting means, and having an oil inlet opening 154 leading to the interior of said pump casing at or near the lower end thereof, and a valve-controlled discharge opening 155 leading from the discharge end of the piston chamben. And a piston plunger 156 is mounted in said piston chamber nd has a head 157 'on the upper extremity of sai plunger and located within the path of movement of and adapted to be engaged and operated by a cam or eccentric member 158 which is fixed toand'adapted to rotate with the shoe-actuating eccentric 113 already described, for operating the'said oil pump plunger and piston. A coil spring 159 within the piston cylinder and in engagement with the piston plunger serves to operate said plunger in the opposite direction from that in which it is operated by the cam or eccentric 158'. The oil pump 150 is thus adapted to pump lubricating oil from the bottom of the gear chamber into and over the gearing and other moving parts and hearings in said chamber which is provided with a sufficient quantity of oil for the purpose of lubrication. The lubricating oil is thus kept constantlyin circulation and sprayed over the mechanism within the gear casing or housing in streams 'or jets so that said mechanism is kept constantly and thoroughly lubricated with a minimum quantity of oil which is contained in a gear box in which all of the ironing roll and,

shoe operating and controlling mechanism is compactly arranged and adapted to operate efiiciently. I Y

A supporting leg 160 is provided having a long transverse base or foot 161 which is adapted to rest upon the stationary support or table 3. The base 4 and leg 160 of the machine frame may be attached to the table or other stationary support by any ordinary and suitable securing means such as connecting screws or clamping means-not shown.

The said leg 160 is by preference, fixed to, the rigid arm or tubular-frame member 33 by means of an annular head 162 in the upper end of said leg. Said annular head or split'ring 162 encircles the said rigid tubular member 33 through which the rock-shaft 32 extends. A rigid machine frame is thus provided which is portable and adapted to be firmly or detachably secured.

on any desired stationary support such for ex ample as a table or a pedestal.

Briefly stated the normal operation of the machine is as follows: 1

Assuming that the ironing shoe is in .its pressure-releasing position away from and out of contact with the ironing'roll and the material to be operated upon, with the ironing roll-controlling power clutch 96 and the ironing-shoecontrolling pawlarid ratchet mechanism comprising the ratchet wheel 86 and pawl 126 in power-releasing position, and the shoe-operating eccentric 113 in initial pressure-releasing position, but with' the power-driven worm wheel 82 connected with the motor and in continuous rotation (see Figs. 1, 2 and 3), the continuously rotating worm wheel 82 and its driving mech-' ing shoe; and the operator operates the trigger 1 142 or its equivalent, such, for example, as a pedal or knee-operated lever-not shown-either of which may be used with or in lieu of the said 'hand-lever, all of which is well'known by those skilled in the art. The first operation of the manually operable lever or trigger 142-will cause the-tripping finger 134, shown in Fig. 3, to release the pawl 126 causing said pawl to engage the toothed ratchet wheel 86, thereby connecting the shoe-operating eccentric 113 with the continuously rotating power-driven worm wheel 82 or source of power. The cam 110 being rigidly connected with the eccentric 113 and loose on the ironing roll axle or axle-shaft 95 and'connected with the pawl 126 by the train of gears comprising the gear wheel 108 on which the cam is mounted and the connected gear wheel 1l8'on which the pawl ismounted by means of the pawl-supporting plate 120 are fixed to said gear 'wheel 118, it follows that the first one-half revolution of ithe cam 110 which is in engagement with the clutch-actuating yoke lever 112 will cause the clutch 96 to connect the ironing roll with the rotating-worm wheel 82 or source of power and that the concurrent one-half revolution of the eccentric 113 will operate the ironing shoe 31 toward and into engagement with the ironing roll or material to be operated upon concurrently with the automatic connecting of the ironing roll with the worm wheel 82 and source of power. The first complete revolution of the engaged ratchet wheel 86 and pawl 126 and gear wheel 118 will cause said pawl to revolve once around its axis to its initial lowermost position and to be there tripped by the manually operable tripping finger 134 to releasing position out of toothed engagement with the ratchet wheel 86 thereby effecting the automatic releasing of the ironing shoe and shoeoperating eccentric from the source of power and leaving the ironing roll connected with the continuously rotating power-driven worm wheel 82 or source of power. The ironing roll will thus continue to rotate while operatively engaged by the ironing shoe as the ironing proceeds, until the ironing roll is released from the said worm wheel or source of power. The next operation of the hand-lever or trigger 142 by the operator, to effect the return operation of the ironing shoe to pressure-releasing initial or normal position out of engagement with and away from the ironing roll will cause the pawl-tripping finger to trip and release the pawl 126 whereupon said pawl will engage the ratchet wheel 86 and automatically effect the connection of the ironing-shoe operating eccentric 113 and ironing shoe with the continuously rotating worm Wheel 82 or source of power, so that the said eccentric and the cam 110 will again rotate, one-half of a complete revolution thereby rettfifiing the ironing shoe and said ecc entr'ic to original initial position. The cam H0 is thus caused to engage the cam shouldeflll on the clutch-actuating yoke lever 11 2 and release the clutch member 96 from engagement with the clutch member 85 on the hub of the worm .wheel 82 thus disconnecting the ironing roll from the said worm-wheel or source of power immediately following the release of the pressure of the shoe upon the ironing roll. The cycle of operation thus accomplished may be repeated as often as may be desired; and the ironing roll and shoe are thus operated in coordinated relation to each other, each and all of said operations being initiated by a single operation of one manually operable tri ger or hand-lever 0 equivalent manually operable actuating mea and each and all operations thus initiated manually being automatically completed, controlled and coordinated efficiently andwith economy in construction and operation.

We claim: 1. In an ironing machine, the combination of a rotative ironing roll, a stationary hollow shaft upon which said roll is rotatably mounted, a rotative axle-shaft connected with said ironing roll and extending through said stationary hollow shaft for rotating said ironing'roll, an ironing shoe located adjacent to and movable toward and from said ironing roll, driving mechanism adapted to be connected with a source of power for operating said' ironing roll and shoe, a tubular member around one end of said stationary roll-supporting hollow shaft and rotatable thereon, an eccentric mounted upon said tubular member for rotation therewith, means for operatively connecting said eccentric with said ironing shoe for operating the same, a cam mounted on said last-mentioned tubular member for rotation therewith, gear mechanism connected with said axle-shaft, spring-actuated clutch mechanism for connecting said gear mechanism with said first-mentioned driving mechanism, a clutch-actuating lever mounted in engagement with and adapted to be operated by said cam and operatively connected with'said spring-actuated clutch mechanism for releasing the same, manually operable means connected with said clutch mechanism for releasing said ironing roll actuating gear mechanism from said 85 first-mentioned driving mechanism, manually engageable means actuated by said driving mechanism for rotating said tubular member,

'and means operable automatically upon said last mentioned means to stop rotation of said tubular member when said ironing shoe reaches either of its extreme positions.

2. An ironing machine comprising a rotatably supported ironing roll, an ironing shoe movable into and out of operative relation to said roll, a pair of shafts rotatably mounted in laterally spaced parallel relation, a first one of said shafts being operatively connected to said roll for rotating the same, an eccentric rotatably mounted on said first shaft and operatively connected to said shoe for moving the shoe toward and away from the roll, a constantly driven gear rotatably mounted on the second one of saidshafts, a geared connection between said gear and said eccentric including a manually engageable clutch on the axis of said second shaft, means operable automatically upon said clutch to stop the rotation of said eccentric when said ironing shoe reaches either of its extreme positions, a geared connection between said constantly driven gear and said first shaft for rotating said roll, said last mentioned connection including a clutch on the axis of said second shaft, and cam means actuated through rotation of said eccentric to operate said roll-controlling clutch and stop rotation of the roll when said shoe is moved away from the roll.

3. An ironing machine comprising, in combination, a rotatable roll, a shiftable cooperating shoe, a gear casing adjacent to one end of the roll, a pair of spaced parallel shafts rotatably mounted in said casing, a first one of said shafts being operatively and constantly connected to said roll for rotating the roll when said first shaft is rotated, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said first shaft, an eccentric on said sleeve operatively connected to said shoe for moving the shoe toward and away from said roll, a gear fixed to said sleeve, a pinion loosely mounted on the second one of said shafts in mesh with the gear of said sleeve and carrying a clutch element, a constantly driven gear rotatably mounted on said second shaft and carrying a complemental clutch element, automatically operable means acting on one of said clutch elements to open the clutch whenever said shoe reaches one of its extreme positions, interme shing gears fixed on said first and second shafts, said constantly driven gear having a clutch element thereon engageable withthe gear on said second shaft for rotating the same, said second shaft being longitudinally shiftable to disengage its gear from its associated clutch element, and cam means operated by said sleeve in its rotation to shift said'second shaft and stop said roll when the shoe is moved away from said roll.

4. An ironing machine comprising a rotatably supported ironing roll, an ironing-shoe movation between said constantly driven gear and said eccentric including a manually engageable clutch, means operable automatically upon'said clutch to stop the rotation of said eccentric when said ironing shoe reaches either of its extreme positions,- a geared connection between said constantly driven gear and saidroll tor rotating'the roll, said last mentioned connection I including a roll-controlling clutch having an internal gear on said second shaft rotated thereon with said constantly driven gear, and a pinion fixed to said second shaft and engageable' with said internal gear by longitudinal shifting of said second shaft, and cam means actuated through rotation of said eccentric to shift said second shaftlongitudinally to operate said roll-controlling clutch and stop rotation of the roll lwhen said shoe is moved away from the roll.

EDWARD'C. PETER. JOHN A. CASTRICONE. 

